Your go-to guide for tips on sales, business, marketing, CRM, work ethic, and integrity in selling. I've also written a few posts about beauty, self-esteem, women's, and humanitarian issues. I am definitely opinionated, but I have a great heart. I genuinely care about helping other salespeople to be proud of what they do, and to master the set of skills required to be successful.~Cara Celli

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Friday, February 3, 2012

Customer service "wow" factor...

Turning woes into wows

Sometimes, a customer will have a "bad" experience. In their minds, it's very bad, and they might never want to come back to your company. Wait a minute. But they're telling you this, so think of it as an opportunity to put your company, and your customer's experience in a different light. You might need to apologize for something you didn't even do. Get used to it. You are the front line, first face they'll see. And you are the face of your company. Apologize.

Ask them what you can do to help them right now. How you can make it better for them, as long as their request is reasonable. And why not? They might have decided to never come back had it not been for you putting out that fire, but now they've decided to give your company another shot. And next time, they'll be coming back to see you. Not only that, but they're going to tell their friends about how you helped them when they were upset, and seemed to make everything better for them. Bottom line? You've probably gained at least three to five clients from that one. Because you set yourself apart from those who gave mediocre service. And you showed that you cared about them.

That personal touch

I call it the personality touch. You add your personality, and color the conversation with information the customer can use, that is also entertaining. Nobody wants to buy from someone who is not fun! If you show you're having fun, and actually engage with them, they will tell you everything you need to know to help them. First engage, get to know each other as humans, then work out what they're looking for. In that order. They'll want to stay with you so much longer, because you took the time to care. And they won't want to leave at the end of the sale. That is what sets average salespeople apart from outstanding salespeople.

Artificial doesn't cut it

Have you ever walked up to someone you knew was going to try to sell you right away? And what happened? You wanted to get away from them as quickly as possible, right? They said hello to you with that Cheshire Cat grin, and you knew you'd walked into trouble. Because it wasn't real. Their smile, and their pitch just didn't feel right. Because you can't fake caring. Or an actual smile. It's as simple as that. Even your eyes will give you away when you're forcing a smile, compared with when you're genuinely smiling. The only way to make it look real is make sure it is real. Even if the customer is talking about something you don't really care about. Take the time to think how you would feel if that was you. You'd want you to care. When you shift your mindset this way, it forces you to really listen. And makes you a better person, as well as a better salesperson.

Get to the point please

We all have an agenda. Your customer has an agenda, and that's why they're asking for your help. You are there to assist them in getting their point across. You are there to listen, and assess their needs in a timely and efficient manner. One of the main things customers need from you is not to waste their time. Your friends and colleagues need this from you, too. But especially your clients. So give them what they're paying you for. Do a great job for them, and in a more than reasonable amount of time. It's another sign of caring. And they'll love you for it.

Give them value

Value is about a complete experience. Did you help your client find products or services that met all of their needs, and fell within their price range? Did you provide friendly guidance for them in making their decisions? Did you redirect them when you saw they could possibly be making the wrong choice? All of these factors add up to a whole experience. They create value for the customer. But mainly, it is you that creates value for them. By the service you provide, and by genuinely caring about helping them meet and exceed their needs. You don't want to just be good. You want to go beyond set expectations. To make them value you by showing that you value them. And having them look back fondly on the experience they had with you every time they use your products. That's real value.